Country Standard Time Review
written by Dan Macintosh

Whenever Sara Petite sings, she sounds like a real girl. That may sound like a, 'Well, no duh!' remark, but with so many contemporary country divas playing the Miss Perfect part to, well, perfection, it's getting harder and harder to find many real girl country singers anymore. That makes Petite a delightful exception to the rule.

Whether she's joking about resorting to riding an elephant to get away from a bad relationship, as Petite does during Movin' On, -- no, not the Hank Snow song - or having a relational allergic reaction to 'the other woman's' perfume during Perfume, Petite always sings in a ragged-but-right and oh-so-sincere gal's voice. She comes of especially smart when she's angry, which is most apparent during the latter day outlaw country of The Master, which brings Waylon, Willie and the gang to mind - even better than Gretchen Wilson. It has that assertive rhythmic thump-thumb of Jennings' sonic signature, along with a melodic nod to Nelson's On the Road Again, giving it the best of both worlds. Lyrically, this 'master' is only the king of doing girls wrong.

Petite is just as appealing when she sings about the truism of If Mamma Ain't Happy (the latter part of that phrase is, "Ain't nobody happy.") She can seemingly do no wrong, no matter what voice approach she takes.

We haven't had a down home country singer/songwriter this good since Iris Dement. Think of Dement, only a whole lot more fun, and you'll get a good picture of the joy that is Sara Petite's "Circus Comes to Town."

http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=5187



LIFE HAS RESEMBLED SOMETHING OF A ROLLERCOASTER RIDE FOR SAN DIEGO’S SARA PETITE IN RECENT TIMES DUE TO PERSONAL TRAGEDY BUT ALSO FOR THE UNVEILING OF RECENT ALBUM ‘CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN’ THAT IS QUITE SIMPLY A STUNNING PIECE OF WORK.

It is not too often a bona fide country artist from the United States sets foot in the UK due to various reasons concerning the British palate ranging from a lack of interest in all things associated with Western attire – the customary cowboy boots spring to mind here – to others of a more fiscal nature. So when news of San Diego’s Sara Petite announced a whistle-stop tour of the British Isles, FLW seized the opportunity to meet ‘n’ greet the country starlet whose recent new long player, ‘Circus Comes To Town’ has been burning a considerable hole in the FLW player over the past few months. With this in mind, the obvious starting point for this eagerly awaited discussion was the ideas and inspirations that led to the wondrous set of songs making up ‘Circus Comes To Town’.

“It was a period in my life where I went through a lot and questioned a lot and I feel the songs on there are just a full perspective of the human condition,” responds Sara Petite regarding the making of her new album. “I tend to be a very real person; what you see is what you get as whatever I’m going through, tends to be what I write about.”

This opening statement is definitely indicative of the stories woven in the tapestry of ‘Circus Comes To Town’ as songs reflect a deeply personal tragedy experienced by Sara Petite leading up to, and during the album’s completion. The loss of her nearest and dearest partner was a knockout blow, and one she is undoubtedly still smarting from, as the person in question is often referred to throughout the discussion but also in honour of his overall contribution musically. ‘Circus Comes To Town’, therefore, comes as a great testament to the characteristics of Sara Petite, as the San Diego songstress managed to ride out incredibly choppy waters when everything appeared to be diminishing around her; something of which the album’s title alludes to, along with the slapstick pretence of the circus imagery.

“It was actually when I was on tour here [UK] when I got that idea [album title],” comments Sara, “because I had done a four-date tour with Marty Stuart, and then thirteen dates on my own. Therefore, it was the tour of my lifetime but I felt like I was going crazy inside because I was going through a lot emotionally, and I don’t think I realised everything I was really going through at the time. I actually wrote ‘Circus Comes To Town’ before Johnny [Kuhlken] passed away, but I was going through a lot as he was often sick and I didn’t realise that he was dying. When I look back, I realise that I was really going through a lot, and it was difficult when I had to get on stage every night and be happy when all I wanted to do was cry. At the same time, I was having the best tour ever, and in my mind it felt like a circus as I was going crazy inside having to portray something completely different outside.”

Without question, ‘Drinkin’ To Remember’ is a lament to those tragic memories and one in which Sara Petite sings with heart firmly planted on her country sleeve.

“I came up with the idea just before Johnny passed away and wrote the first part. After he passed away, I finished the song but it was a difficult period as I had never experienced anxiety before in terms of the level I experienced. It’s weird because I don’t think a human body is capable of understanding; I can tell myself analytically what’s happened and how everything needs to process, but your emotions and your body doesn’t get it that he’s gone. So that’s really what the song’s about because it’s really hard to let go of somebody as there’s a part of my body that still thinks he’s coming back.”

Despite a profound sadness engrained in a number of the songs, what seems evident from the off, however, is the sense of energy bursting forth in a real steely show of force as evidenced by the Springsteen-esque and in no plain terms issued warnings of ‘Perfume’, to literally giving the feeling of the open highway and wheels in motion of ‘Movin’ On’. This, however, is part of the charm of ‘Circus Comes To Town’ as Sara Petite manages to shift facades between songs with relative ease and in the process reveal a considerable amount of humour that receives a tip of the hat in terms of acknowledgement from FLW for the genius that is ‘If Mamma Ain’t Happy’, and the barnstorming ‘Scarlet Letter’ with its “harmonies like bluegrass but rocked up like Jason & the Scorchers” as described by Petite herself. With everything gone before her, Sara Petite has every reason to feel more than a little enamoured with this overall body of work.

“I think as an artist, most artists are not completely satisfied with everything,” comments Sara. “The last album was more produced whereas this one is a bit more broken down. I don’t know if the writing is better or just different than the last album, as ‘Doghouse Rose’ was a little bit rowdier with a couple of Jason & the Scorchers type songs. People sometimes think that everything is 100% autobiographical but it’s not always as sometimes I’m just using my imagination. There are moments where I would love these more imaginative things to happen, but if it happened in real life it would be a disaster! Having said that, the spectrum of the type of songs is broad as there’s a couple of traditional country songs; a couple of pop songs and rock ‘n’ roll songs, as well as a roadhouse song, but it all fits together as one piece.”

The condition of not being totally satisfied with any artistic endeavour is not simply reserved to artists themselves, as on more than one occasion many a music purist has reserved judgement on what they deem to be country music in this instance. Fortunately, such attitudes have not pervaded the creativity of the songwriting process when it comes to Sara Petite and her acoustic guitar, due to vocally demonstrating from her first tentative steps that there really is only one way, and that is the Sara Petite way.

“I am kinda in my own scene in San Diego because there wasn’t really anywhere for me to play,” explains Sara when it comes to the punters expectations. “When people hear me and respond surprisingly, ‘Oh, you’re country!’ these places – the country bars that you play – are Top 40 with line dancers and they don’t want you to play. I’ve had more problems on the bluegrass circuit because it’s really political with a right party and a left party in the states. The right party can be extremely harsh and judgemental on people, so even if they plug an instrument in when you’re at Summer Grass [festival] for example, people just get up and leave. Earl Scruggs had a drum but people commented that it’s not real bluegrass if you have a drum! Johnny [Kuhlken] never had a drum kit as he had a little snare and they said we can’t have that! And we had some people get mad because he used a little egg shaker and a cowbell. His personality was so big that it was always much more fun if he was playing with us, and people really flipped out about it!”

Pursuing her own path in the massively popular country scene of America, trying to establish yourself as a credible artist can be a bit of minefield not only due to the previously mentioned purist attitudes but also due to the level of competition, not to mention the vastness of the American environment when it comes to the live circuit in order to get your message across. Fortunately, such uphill struggles has not fazed Sara Petite as this singer remains headstrong in her quest to bring her brand of countrified tunes to the masses. This self-determination also stems from clocking up many hours working nine to five in various different occupations, with the final decision coming when Petite was relived from her duties as Operations Manager, which led to a decision to enter the musical circus full time.

Being raised in Seattle has also played its part on this musical quest in the sense of the cross-pollination of musical genres, as Seattle is not exactly renowned for its country music but more well-known for its grunge music. Thankfully, Sara has the explanation for this little conundrum in terms of her love for all things country.

“I grew up in Summer; it’s a farming town southeast of Seattle. I was into country as were my friends as we had grown up with it. Later on, I switched over to country again from a lot of pop [music] as there was a lot of music I didn’t identify with during this period. My boyfriend, at the time, was a Tulip farmer and he was into country as well. Also, I remembered the country dial on the radio because my mother would never change it.”

Was your mother a big influence in terms of your interest in country music considering your comment regarding country music being a permanent fixture on the radio?

“My mother used to bring home country tapes from the library but she also had the soundtrack to the Loretta Lynn movie ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’. My twin sister and I used to learn every single song on that soundtrack and people would come over and we would get on the coffee table and sing just for fun. We used to mimic her and I didn’t realise that I was doing this because I have an east Kentucky accent when I sing.

More notably, the unwavering self-belief that Sara Petite rightfully possesses also derives from an unusual family background that involved certain family members inviting goats, chickens and bears as household guests! Therefore, such eccentricities have gladly seeped into her songwriting (‘If Mama Ain’t Happy’) and more than made her comfortable when it comes to making decisions regarding which direction to take musically.

“My dad was from Tiger Mountain,” replies Sara “and my great uncle was the first one to live up there. My Uncle Irving moved because there were too many people out there in the end; he was a nature writer and went to the UW. In addition, Uncle Irving was buying, along with his roommate, lots of property every time they had money because it was cheap due to being ‘junk’ property. He ended up getting kicked out of his apartment at the UW because he had a goat living in his house and under the sink when the landlord came in. So he moved up there [Tiger Mountain] and made this little shack, which actually stands there today. He worked in several jobs as well, such as the Seattle Times; the Post Office and he felled timber to make money. After reading the Tiger Mountain book, you realise that there are so many stories such as my parents getting married there. In fact, Uncle Irving had a goat and a bear living in the house. There were also chickens, which he moved into the house when it was really wet and he’d go and sleep in the outdoor shed!”

With such eccentricities in mind, there are also more standard influences infiltrating the ideas and songs of Sara Petite which, once more, reveals a broad palette musically.

“My heroes are people like Bruce Springsteen, Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn. So I kinda like the working man’s rock ‘n’ roll such as Tom petty, Steve Earle and I really like the songwriters Todd Snider, Bob Dylan and stuff like that. Also, I love the traditional country [music] and I feel that my voice fits this style. I also love June Carter; she’s very, very funny. I used to be a rhythm guitar player for an old-time band and I also had a bluegrass band and then rock ‘n’ roll country, which I call Outlaw Country, as I love things which are a bit more real.”

Would you therefore describe your sound as being at the less commercial end of the country music scene?

“Definitely less commercial such as in the 70s when Waylon [Jennings] and Willie [Nelson] couldn’t get played [radio] because they did their own brand of country, and they did it really well just outside of Nashville,” answers Sara with a definite thumbs up to the less commercial sound of country. “There’s a big movement in east Nashville and it’s gaining in popularity because it’s different from the Nashville country. A lot of people who come to our shows have mentioned that they don’t even listen to country but mention they like my music. This is because a lot of people identify country with US country radio, which is essentially pop music and almost 80s pop music sometimes. I’m not saying it’s bad because if I was 15 years old, then I would love Taylor Swift but it’s just not my thing.”

Can you please elaborate further in terms of what you mean by the country scene in east Nashville?

“It’s not generic and it’s more artistic,” Petite sums up briefly. “When you make an album, and I know everything has changed with downloads, but with an album it’s a whole artistic piece. So when you have someone who’s a songwriter and they produce an album, that’s an artistic piece and therefore I like artists who are more like that because it’s who they are at that point in time. If you look at my last four albums, I have changed a lot but I have remained the same. So it’s kind of evolving although I think I’m devolving sometimes [laughing] because sometimes you have to devolve to evolve a bit!”

With ‘Circus Comes To Town’ gathering further momentum not only in terms of critical recognition but also wining over the hearts and minds of many country aficionados, as well as the indie kids (Yes, there are a few converts, FLW), are there plans for Sara Petite and her trusty guitar to head back into the recording studio soon so that we can experience more fascinating tales of chickens and bears residing side-by-side with their new found owners?

“For the next album, I want to cut a more bluegrass, acoustic album. June Carter did an album that was really amazing called ‘Press On’; it was all her songs and they did it in a circle and she told the stories. The one thing people ask for more than anything is the stories; they want albums with the stories on it. It will probably be [recorded] in Nashville as it’s really one of the best places to record. So I want to do something like that and definitely more live.”

Sara Petite’s ‘Circus Comes To Town’ is out now on Sweet P Records.

by Nathan Olsen-Haines

http://famouslastwordsrecords.com/interviews/circus-comes-to-town/


Sara Petite sings through pain, loss
UT San Diego, George Varga

There is no medical evidence to prove that Lucinda Williams, Nanci Griffith and Carrie Rodriguez somehow joined forces to mother a fully grown musician daughter. But if they did, with Loretta Lynn and Roseanne Cash serving as musical midwives, San Diego singer-songwriter Sara Petite would be the likely outcome.

At the rate she’s evolved over the past seven years, Petite could one day be their peer. She’s already good enough that they would surely welcome her as a very promising protégé.

Now, with her fourth and newest album, “Circus Comes to Town,” this 2003 USIU political science and international relations graduate has produced the most accomplished and emotionally moving work of her career.

That’s the good news for Petite, who performs an all-star album release concert Saturday at the Belly Up.

The bad — make that sad — news is that to reach this artistic peak, she first had to overcome a state of emotional and physical depletion. It was fueled by intense grief and numbed at times by alcohol, as she makes clear in such stirring songs as “Forever Blue” and “Drinking to Remember.”

Both were inspired by the 2011 death of her partner John Kuhlken, who drummed in her band, The Sugar Daddies. A highly regarded pillar of the San Diego indie music scene, Kuhlken worked days as an advertising copywriter for U-T San Diego. His presence suffuses the best songs on “Circus.”

“In a lot of ways, it’s been really healing to write these songs. But, sometimes, it’s been really difficult,” said Petite, who cut the album in Nashville for her own Sweet Pea Records (sarapetite.com).

On the twangy, but wrenching, “Drinking to Remember,” she sings: Round every corner, I still search for you / But haven’t found you yet / I ain’t drinking to remember / I’m drinking to forget.

The suitably moody ballad “Forever Blue,” finds her lamenting, with a quiver in her voice: I’m out here standing, all alone / If I had God’s number, I’d pick up the phone / I’d ask him: Did my angel make it home? / Forever blue / Forever blue.

Petite wrote the album’s stately title song while Kuhlken was still alive. But its lyrics anticipate a looming void, with such telling lines as Lookie here, I’ve come down with the blues and Didn’t know I would fall like that.

" 'Circus Comes to Town' is a really sad song," said Petite's twin sister, Jenny, who shot all the photos for the accompanying CD booklet and will be a guest vocalist on a few songs at Saturday's Belly Up concert.

"Some people end up crying when they hear it."

Perhaps most moving of all is “Ashes,” the album’s melancholic closer.

On it, Petite makes Kuhlken the singer, so to speak, by putting his thoughts into the lyrics: Spread my ashes in the desert, scatter some at sea / Keep a little for yourself, a little piece of me.

“I think,” she said, “John actually helped me write it (posthumously).”

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/jan/10/sara-petite-sings-through-pain/

Beat Surrenders - Circus Comes to Town Review

As a fan of Sara Petite’s previous album Doghouse Rose I was hoping for more in a similar vein and that’s exactly what her new album Circus Comes to Town delivers, her wonderful and distinct twangy vocal is perfectly suited to the contemporary Americana influenced country that echoes the artistic stylings Loretta & Dolly and shares it’s musical DNA with the likes of Holly Williams and Ashley Monroe.

A native of Sumner, Washington Sara is now based out of San Diego where she’s a regular on the live music scene performing with backing band The Sugar Daddies who tragically lost one of their number, Sara’s ‘rock’ and fiancé John Kuhlken who died of a rare blood disease in 2011 (Sara Petite – Rides Again), Circus Comes to town is Sara’s fourth album and she enlisted her fans support through Kickstarter to get the recording out to the wider world. It’s at times delightfully sweet at others heartbreakingly beautiful and ably walks the line between the two with some honky-tonk moments woven into the mix too – highly recommended.

http://www.beat-surrender.com/2013/04/17/sara-petite-circus-comes-to-town/



Sara Petite Rides Again
SD Troubadour
Wayne Riker

“It is hard not to focus a lot on Johnny; he was very connected to me and still remains connected to me. Although my life is beautiful and I have so much more to it, it’s been hard to get healthy and move toward the future without my buddy… he made such a mark on my life and career. I would never have thought about becoming a real musician if it wasn’t for him. However, it is now me that has to keep moving on and making new music.” These poignant words come from the heart and soul of singer/songwriter, Sara Petite, who was establishing a solid reputation for herself in her adopted home of San Diego as well as in Nashville and Europe, when she lost her rock, John Kuhlken, whom she affectionately called her “papa bear.” He passed away much too soon, at age 49, from a blood infection in 2011. Kuhlken, an established local drummer, helped form Petite’s backing group, the Sugar Daddies, so named because the members were all over 40 years of age, including other bandmates Rick Wilkins on guitar and Wade Maurer on bass. She and Kuhlken lived together for a little over six years, sharing music and life’s ups and downs. “Life isn’t about feeling good all of the time, as I have been recovering the last year and half from illness and grief,” Petite relayed to me in our recent sit down interview. “It has been a great time of self discovery. Sometimes you are forced to look at yourself and your life and to slow down. I don’t think we are encouraged enough to do that in life,” she emphasized as she continued her reflection on the trials and tribulations over the past year and a half. “I know he heard me when I said goodbye to my Papa Bear, but there is so much left unsaid sometimes when someone goes quickly. I know he was at peace when he left this earth, but I wish we could have found more when he was here.”

As 2013 dawns, Petite’s own words – “my past is such a strong part of my present and future” – inspired her to pen a bevy of new songs, culminating in her brand new CD, Circus Comes to Town. Since launching her career in 2005, she’s recorded three previous CDs, including Tiger Mountain, Lead the Parade, and Doghouse Rose, respectively; her lyrical themes often draw from her nostalgic roots growing up in rural Sumner, Washington, however, this new offering will take the listener through an eclectic array of topics, fueled by her own admission that she wears her heart on her sleeve. “I’m drawn to songwriters with authenticity that have stories behind their songs,” she stated. One song on her new release, “The Scarlet Letter,” was penned from her conversational exploits as a part-time bartender, over the past nine years, at the Ould Sod watering hole, located along the Adams Avenue bar crawl in San Diego. “I happened to be reading Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter at the same time that a friend of mine was going through a bad divorcee. She told me how free she felt after losing a lot of friends through the whole process, who turned out not to be the true friends she thought they were.” This conversation, combined with a male customer’s insensitive and inappropriate remarks about women and their sexuality, in a separate conversation, gave birth to the song, with Petite’s vituperative lyrics crying out amid a din of honky tonk guitar riffs: “it don’t matter what he do… it just matter what she do…no matter how far you run… can’t get away from those wagging tongues,” conjuring up images of Hester Prynne’s unjust public ridicule in Hawthorne’s classic 19th century novel. And along the same lines, her stinging take on how some men treat their women, from her tune, “The Master”: “he’s the master… of loving, leaving, lying, and disaster… he’s fooled me… he’ll fool you… honey, he’ll screw you… that lying, cheatin’ son of a gun… the Master.” She is quick to point out, however, that she is not a man hater, but just an astute observer of human behavior in general, which ignites many of her song topics. The first time she played “The Master,” as she recalls, was at a gig in Kentucky. “It was so fun, but I thought I might be lynched and that the men would think I was a man-hater, but at the end of the show, a few of them came up to me and complimented me on the song; I soon realized that they wanted to BE the Master.”

Although she has courageously moved forward with her life and music, many of Petite’s inner struggles and personal sorrow is reflected heavily in the Circus Comes to Town disc. Her tune, “Drinking to Remember,” was partially penned before Kuhlken’s passing, then completed after his untimely death, with the foreboding refrain: “I ain’t drinking to remember… I’m drinking to forget,” lyrics that would ring true as she recounts in chilling detail, “I spent a lot of time in the bottle after Johnny passed away,” she explained, “I knew I was using alcohol to cope; it took over a year before I could get a handle on it and start dealing with life, and coping with the pain of losing my best friend.”

Rimrock Ranch is the desert canyon home of musician and surf wear entrepreneur Jim Austin, was a special setting where the couple enjoyed spending time, a very inspirational locale for Petite’s writing process, as she reminisces. “I don’t know if it is the magic of the place, or Jim Austin, or the two of them put together. I’d be having a conversation with Jim, or be hanging out with him, and then I’d go write a song. He’s one of the nicest, most beautiful and honorable men you could ever meet. I’ve written, started, or finished the majority of my songs at his ranch.” Another track from her new CD, “Ashes,” was penned from this pristine setting, as she details. “When Johnny passed away, it was so sudden and I felt so bad for myself and his best friends. I kept half of his ashes, and perhaps one day I will put them up at Rimrock Ranch,” as her haunting lyrics express: “keep a little for yourself… a little piece of me.” “Half of them went into the ocean and the other half are in my van,” she continued. “He goes everywhere with me. Some say that I’m holding on to my past and that I should let it go, but despite what anybody says, I’ve learned something internal through my grief, which is to follow your own light.”

Petite’s CD release party will be happening at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach on Saturday, January 12th, a matinee affair, commencing at 3 p.m. The Circus Comes to Town disc was recorded in Nashville, at the same locale as her third offering, Doghouse Rose, at Insomnia Studio, with Eddie Gore at the recording helm and handling production duties for both discs. Gore discovered Petite through his friend, Melanie Howard, who is the widow of legendary country music songwriter, Harlan Howard. Both albums are aptly augmented by a slew of Nashville A-list studio players, elevating the overall quality, especially in the final mix, beyond her first two local recordings. “I’d rather be using my own band exclusively, as we are a family, and have been through lots of ups and downs together, as well as driving each other nuts sometimes, but this was a great opportunity, so why not,” she proclaimed.
Petite’s twin sister, Jenny, ten minutes her elder, resides in Nashville. A singer/songwriter as well, she is also a keen photographer, and has produced a colorful panorama of photos for the Circus Comes To Town project. “We’re very close,” she says, “I stay with her when I’m in Nashville to do business, gigs, and record. She did a beautiful job imaging photographs to my lyrics; the photo shoot was a blast.” Her plan beyond the CD release party is to use Nashville as a hub, touring in that region of the country for a part of each month, splitting time with gigs back home in Southern California. “Eventually I’d like to play a Texas circuit, particularly the Austin-Houston-San Antonio triangle,” she said. “Using Nashville as a hub gives me a great opportunity to visit Jenny and her family at the same time.”

Petite’s songwriting process usually starts with a melody in her head, yielding lyrics, followed by picking up her guitar. “I often have a melody in my head, put lyrics to it, then pick up my guitar to work on chord accompaniment,” she states confidently. Although she played piano for most of her formative years, she no longer has a piano around, nor composes on one. However, she’s looking to incorporate some bluegrass banjo into the mix, as she’s transferring some of her guitar fingerpicking patterns over to her trusty Deering banjo. Fellow musician and friend, Chris Clarke, a deft mandolin picker, who fronts his own group, Plow, was a member of the Tiger Mountain Boys, a group Petite formed to play old-time music oriented gigs, was one of many influential musicians she has crossed paths with in San Diego. “I was a rhythm guitar player in his old time music band initially. I learned a lot from him. He’s a great rhythmic mandolin player. We had a lot of charisma together on stage as well.” Clarke recalls some fond memories playing with her, along with a classic pet folly. “We performed countless times together over the course of a couple of years and developed a great friendship,” Clarke remembers, “we used to rehearse the Tiger Mountain Boys over at her house. Her dog, Ricky Bobby, was an escape artist. I can’t tell you how many times we would have half the band chasing that damn dog around the neighborhood. We had a lot of fun playing together in support of her first record.” Petite is equally comfortable with an acoustic or electric guitar in her hands, enabling her to go from a harder edge country rock groove to a more subtle acoustic mood in her compositions. Detailed in her own words, “I consider myself more outlaw country, as opposed to line dance country, particularly in that I’m an original artist that mixes in a rocking out mix with traditional country tune structures.”

Another local artist, vocalist Eve Selis, who along with Lisa Sanders, will be the opening acts for the aforementioned CD release party, invited Petite to open for her on a recent tour through the United Kingdom, an opportunity she enthusiastically accepted. “I opened six shows during that tour,” she proudly stated. “Eve has been very supportive of me and loves helping out fellow artists. She gives 200% in all her shows, she’s so inspiring and great to watch on stage.” The admiration is mutual, as Selis relayed to me shortly after her sets with B.J. Thomas at the 2012 Carols by Candlelight benefit concert. “Sara has an ache in her voice that adds just the right kind of emotion to her songs. When she opened for us on that UK tour, my English fans fell in love with her. In addition,” she continued, “she’s inspired me to play my guitar more so we can do some ‘just us girls’ shows! This year should be a big year for Sara Petite and I’m looking forward to watching it unfold,” Selis concluded. During that tour Petite got a first-hand glimpse of European audiences, for many musicians historically, a pleasant change of pace from American audiences. “I really enjoyed them, seemingly polite. Audiences in the UK appeared reserved, a bit conservative, but that can fool you, as after my shows they would be very complimentary,” she observed. “Seems like there’s an emergence of more country artists in Europe and I’m looking forward to exploring the German market as well,” she added. As far as audiences in general, she speaks openly about a common dichotomy with the public, a reality that Petite has encountered in her growing visibility as an established name. “I’ll have people suggest a musical direction for my next CD. Most people want to be part of your world, which is fine, but I’m a pretty sheltered person, yet gregarious, so it’s a dilemma many artists have to sort out, and as I’ve discovered, most artists have a hard time determining who’s genuine and who isn’t.”
She realizes that in the world of a recording artist and performer, one has to stay as grounded as possible, particularly in all business aspects. “People offer you things all the time. You can never be too excited until you sign on the dotted line. Most people have really good intentions, but it can be tricky from a business perspective to know who’s going to really follow through on stuff,” she emphasized. “I wear my emotions on my sleeve, which sometimes leaves you vulnerable, as I’m an artist and as an artist, we’re all vulnerable. I have a good friend, Deborah Bourgeois, who works my merchandise table for me, and that really helps. I like to be in control of the business end, but I’m feeling better lately about releasing control in certain areas. I have a booking agent that’s starting to schedule gigs. In the past I’ve had business people that don’t know how to do their job as well as some that you can’t trust, so I never feel comfortable until I feel like they know how to do their job competently.”

When on stage, Petite portrays the overall joy she feels as a musical artist of not only presenting original music, but the opportunity the profession brings in meeting so many new people. “The life of an artist is so amazing,” she conveys. “As independent artists we get to live a really rich life; we’re a different breed, and I feel so lucky to be part of it as an independent artist. However,” she continues, “most people don’t realize the hard work that goes into all phases of a musician’s life; it’s hard work. On any given night, you may hate it, but the next night you have a blast and love it. When you’re really on fire musically, your whole body is electric,” she joyfully states. Behind that success, there is usually a mentor. In Petite’s case, multi-instrumentalist Shawn Rohlf would be the man. “I love Shawn. He was my mentor, he’s been a great source of guidance; I’ve learned so much from him.” Over the years, Rohlf, who plays just about any stringed instrument you hand him, and a founding member of the popular band 7th Day Buskers, has not only mentored her, but has played gigs and recorded on Petite’s albums. “He’s a true pro,” she smiled, “who knows his role in different musical settings, a team player.” Rohlf, back in San Diego after a recent gig with former Grateful Dead guitarist, Bob Weir, and singer/ songwriter Tim Flannery, shared his feelings about Petite. “Sara and I have been great friends for quite a few years now, and we always have a lot of fun on stage and off,” he noted. “She is one of the most dedicated and hardest working artists around, always striving to move forward with her songwriting and skills as a guitar player and performer, not to mention her infectious smile that brightens up any room she enters.”

Two other musicians that have augmented Petite’s sound, on disc and live, are mandolin wiz Steve Peavey, and fiddle wunderkind John Mailander, “I affectionately called John “sugar baby” when he became a member of the Sugar Daddies as a teenager,” she shared, after Mailander answered an ad for “fiddle player wanted” for her band. “A brilliant player and a gracious person,” she added. Currently, Mailander is attending Berklee College of Music in Boston. “Sara is such an awesome voice and presence,” Mailander said recently during a break from his studies. “She’s been so supportive of me ever since I first started playing out around San Diego. I’ve always connected with her songs because they’re so honest and welcoming, along with her overall passion and positive energy for what she does.” Peavey, who now calls Nashville home, appears on the Doghouse Rose CD and is held in high esteem by Petite, “He’s like a brother to me; we spent a lot of time together on road trips to gigs. He’s a good guy, as well as an excellent melodic mandolin player.”

One of Petite’s big goals ahead, is to have her songs picked up by other artists, as she prides herself on her writing style. “I really want other people to do my songs; that’s a definite goal of mine. It’s one way to maintain in the business, and possibly set up a more comfortable retirement eventually,” she mused. “I want to keep doing shows for a long time, but I want to have other streams of income, hopefully from songwriting credits.” Good friend and superlative singer/songwriter Gregory Page has been there for her over many cups of coffee, in discussing music, songwriting, and life. “When John passed away, he was there for me; he’s such a good person with a genuine heart.” As far as others, she lists quite a few that she admires in the songwriting arena, including John Prine, Loretta Lynn, Jon Vezner, Marty Stuart, John Mellencamp, June Carter, Rosie Flores, Tom Petty, and Buddy Holly, to name a few. “June Carter was one of my idols – witty, clever, and funny. I really relate to the stories behind her songs and think she’s just a brilliant artist and vivacious performer. Mellencamp as well, a big influence, with his voice that is so raw and emotional, along with his stories from the heartland.” Petite is quick to point out that simplicity is a key component for writing songs that reach the hearts and souls of many music lovers. “Like Mellencamp,” she points out, “Tom Petty is another favorite, another simple writer who speaks to the heart, which most people relate to.” As for Marty Stuart, former guitarist with Johnny Cash and Lester Flatt, and a well established songwriter in his own right, Petite reminisces back to her teen years. “I was 14 when I first saw Marty Stuart perform. I told my sister, Jenny, that I would go to Nashville and marry him someday. Never did, but it was a dream come true,” she grinned, “when I wound up opening for him on four separate occasions.”

“Barbed Wire,” another track from Circus Comes to Town, is the only co-write on the disc, with a special story behind the song. “I wrote this one with my good friend, John Eddie, one of my favorite songwriters,” she explained. “I was at Jim Austin’s place, Rimrock Ranch, where there is a heart with barbed wire wrapped around it at the entrance. I looked up at it and started singing the line: “she’s got barbwire around her heart… to protect them weaker parts.” “I think most people feel this way in that it’s hard to be a vulnerable loving person and be able to protect yourself from pain. After so many batterings, I think you just start building up defense mechanisms.”

In seven short years, since seriously beginning a full-time pursuit of a musical career, the prophetic words of her father still ring true in that “Sara’s always gonna do what she’s gonna do,” as she has lived a few lifetimes, encompassing the joys of playing in a band, writing and performing her own tunes, traveling around the globe, meeting new people and making new friends at every turn, recording at a top-notch studio in Nashville, opening shows for iconic songwriters, along with being recognized locally and nationally as an award-winning songwriter in the Americana music category, albeit mixed in with the rigors of the music business and having to cope with the deep personal loss of her papa bear, Johnny. In the end, however, her indomitable will to succeed and positive attitude pushes forward, as she cherishes the beauty in the world and the people around her.

“I have been blessed with great friends in my life, I couldn’t be more thankful,” she concluded, “keeping close to my heart all of them who like me for me, despite all of my skeletons, demons, and crosses to bear, as I accept and love them all for who they are, too.”

Don’t miss Sara Petite’s CD release, Circus Comes to Town, with special guests Lisa Sanders and Eve Selis. Saturday, January 12 at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach, 3:30pm.

Wayne Riker is a freelance writer, guitar teacher, instructional book author, and columnist for Guitar Player magazine.

http://sandiegotroubadour.com/2013/01/sara-petite-rides-again/

Popa's Tunes - Blogspot - Circus Comes to Town Review


Outlaw country singer - songwriter, Sara Petite crafts songs that hold an edgy yet tender, thoughtful quality – a flowing humanism -- some quirky twists and turns – and then, at times, she transports you to the depths of her (and your) soul. She also finds room in her repertoire for traditional country, bluegrass and rock ‘n’ roll.
Sara Petite's website bio states that she learned to sing country music in her hometown of Summer, Washington by listening to Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn. Singing along with her sister, they would perform for family and friends, mimicking the vocal inflections of their idols, Parton and Lynn.

“I wear my heart on my sleeve, which sometimes leaves you vulnerable,” Petite emphasizes.
Transplanted to San Diego from a rural tulip farming town in Washington – and influenced by artists as diverse as Loretta Lynn and June Carter to Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp -- Sara Petite has toured the West Coast, Southeast and Europe, and she's now traveling throughout the U.S.

She's opened for such musical icons as Ralph Stanley, Marty Stuart, Todd Snider and Dave Alvin. Her previous releases were Doghouse Rose, Lead the Parade and Tiger Mountain.

http://popatunes.blogspot.com/2013/06/sara-petite-circus-comes-to-town.html


Flying Shoes Review - Circus Comes to Town

San Diego-based Sara Petite has been at this country music business for a few years now. This is her fourth album in the last seven years or so, and it pretty much reprises the mixture of material she came up with for Doghouse Rose, her most recent album before this. A fine selection of brassily rocking country numbers are balanced by quieter, heart-on-her-sleeve songs. Her songwriting reflects the material of her early heroes, Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn. Like them she can make a song that has its roots in real life acquire the kind of gloss that will communicate itself across the airwaves. One of these days, one of her songs will like as not hit paydirt – it’s a random, unpredictable process, but she stands as good a chance as anyone.

Though not an imitation of an earlier sound, several of these songs seem to hark back in style to classic country music of forty years ago; she opens the show with a cheating song, Perfume, which focuses on the small detail that triggers the big issue, the heartbreak of a good love gone bad. In this case, her man is admitting nothing but she can smell the other woman’s perfume and “I can’t stand the smell of her perfume”. This could be an excuse for some maudlin lachrymosity, but the band is going full tilt for this one and Sara’s vocal implies she will survive – no room for a soft heart in this sort of world and that electric guitar is all hard-edged shiny bright notes. Her heart might be bruised but she’s partying hard in the direction of tomorrow.

There are more songs like this; there’s a bit of rockabilly about the brash, driving pop country of Movin’ On and some swaggering twang to The Master – slight twists to the style but always fun and always lifted out of the routine by the strength of personality that Sara brings to her singing. She sounds genuine, and genuinely enthusiastic to be doing what she does. She gives it everything and that counts for a lot. For me, though, it’s the slower songs that really hit home. The title track, in particular, is really affecting - I love the tone of sad regret, and the catch in her voice. You might be conscious that she’s delivering a performance, a stage persona, but, like Dolly Parton, you can’t help but warm to the exuberant enthusiasm she brings to her art. Certainly for me, there will always be a corner of my heart open to Sara Petite’s music.

John Davy
http://flyinshoes.ning.com/profiles/blogs/sara-petite-circus-comes-to-town 

THREE CHORDS AND THE TRUTH REVIEW

With a vocal style which aches country, Sara Petite is not a singer out to appease the middle ground. Having fallen straight for her voice when first hearing Bob Harris play material from DOGHOUSE ROSE a while ago, this was an artist that could do no wrong in my book. That 2010 album and its two predecessors were quickly acquired and, after a brief lull, it is great to re-acquaint with her music through this follow up release. CIRCUS COMES TO THE TOWN is very much in a similar mould to the previous records with a clutch of rip roaring numbers interspersing a gentler roots sound, all characterised by that unmistakeable voice wrapping itself around genuine country songs.

Geographically and commercially, San Diego based Sara is a great many country miles away from the centre of the industry in Nashville, Tennessee but this need not detract from the authenticity of the sound emanating from her band. However with the current sea change of a more traditional style from female performers, you never know the call may come but in the meantime Sara isn’t going to spend any time worrying, just plying her trade relentlessly on the west coast and the frequent UK visits. Unfortunately these trips do seem a little low key at present but not without hope that someone may pick up on the talent and increase her awareness in the UK.

Weighing in with thirteen tracks just shy of forty minutes long, the album immediately gets into its stride with a classic cheating song, hitting all the right notes lyrically and musically. The pace of this opener ‘Perfume’ is ramped up with the following number, the country rockin’ ‘Movin’ On’ which metaphorically conveys the message that an artists’ lot is to never stand still. With all but one of the tracks a solo Sara Petite write, her lyrical brilliance is highlighted in the third number ‘Barbwire’ , incidentally the album’s only co-write, with the unforgettable line ‘she’s got barbwire around her heart’. Only in country music could such explicit imagery capture the message of a song.

The thoughtful title track ‘Circus Comes to Town’ shows the more tender side to Sara’s style and aligns a number of life issues to aspects of a circus. No country album would be complete without the ubiquitous drinking song and Sara truly delivers a heartfelt account of turning to the bottle to alleviate your problems. Although the title of the song, ‘Drinkin’ to Remember’, slightly misleads its message of drinking to forget. The up tempo guitar riffs that accompanied much of her earlier material return with a lyrical tirade against the subject of ‘The Master’. The retro feeling number ‘If Mamma Ain’t Happy’ is launched with a backbeat-supported intro before developing into a foot stomping rousing tune with a sing along gratifying chorus.

The band sparkles on ‘Scarlett Letter’ with some great guitar work accompanying yet another melodic chorus with seems to be Sara’s forte. While ‘Forever Blue’ shows the sombre side of her writing but still managing to retain a memorable haunting chorus, ‘Someday I’m Gonna Fly’ is the perfect feel good response and breathes an air of optimism to the album’s final tracks. A common trait of a lot of country records is to have an appropriate closing number that has an element of finality to it. ‘Ashes’ fits the model perfectly for this album and concludes a record which will embed a fulfilling memory in your mind.

There may be a touch of sass and an acquired taste to her style but make no mistake Sara Petite is a very fine country artist and deserves a greater profile. CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN is a welcome addition to her back catalogue and will do her career prospects no harm.

David Hughes
http://threechordsandthetruthuk.blogspot.co.uk/
http://www.fatea-records.co.uk/magazine/2013/SaraPetite.html




THE EXAMINER



The first time I saw Sara Petite and the Sugar Daddies they were opening for Shooter Jennings. I was more impressed with Sara's performance than Shooters. This time she was opening , for Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women. Both shows were at the Belly Up, and both times I left smiling. The Sugar Daddies are lead guitarist Rick Wilkins, Wade Maurer on bass, John Kuhlken on drums, and Steve Peavey on guitars/mandolin.

Sara Petite makes her home in San Diego and has grown quite a following, not just locally but worldwide. With the release of her new CD Doghouse Rose, she hopes to expand on the notoriety she earned with her first two independent CDs Tiger Mountain and Lead the Parade.

Sara Petite's website bio states that she learned to sing country music in her hometown of Summer, Washington by listening to Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn. Singing along with her sister, they would perform for family and friends, mimicking the vocal inflections of their idols, Parton and Lynn, and it's evident in her style.

But it's not just her voice, or her award-winning songwriting, or her band. It's the whole package. And on top of that, you can just tell how much fun she is having performing from the moment she hits the stage (Crazy) to the final note of the final song (Promiseland). Her smile is infectious. Just looking around, everyone in the crowd is doing something. Some dancing, some nodding their heads with the music, some singing along, but everyone is smiling. She has that effect.

Every song tells a story, and she shares many of them in between songs. Like the bluegrass ditty Little House, which she tells the inspiration she drew from her visit to Paris, and the small accommodations she shared while there. Bootleggers tells of running moonshine with her sister on Tiger Mountain, which is not only the title of her first CD, but also the emotional home of her family in Washington state.

It won't be long before Sara Petite is the headliner, and another up-and-coming artist will be able to say "Remember when we opened for Sara Petite?". 

 http://www.examiner.com/concerts-in-san-diego/sara-petite-and-the-sugar-daddies 
 



Sara Petite Roots Americana
by the Alternate Root
Oct 1st, 2010

Which spot on the map gets the nod when the term 'mountain music' pops up? You can probably trace Garden of Eden style first steps to somewhere in the Appalachians. Over time, the term and the sound land on the who is playing and not the where. Hearing Sara Petite could easily make you think she grew up down a dusty road near Butcher Holler. She called the Northwest home and Loretta came callin' in stereo speakers, not through the back gate. Sara and her twin sister fell in love with Loretta Lynn via the movie 'Coal Miner's Daughter'. Mom would get albums from the library and the young girls would perform for friends and family. She picked up not only voice inflections but a love of country music.

On her third album, 'Doghouse Rose', the twang meets the punch. A rock edge anchors the rhythms as bent and distorted riffs playfully float by while Sara's voices pushes through the tracks like a freight train barreling out of the Smokies. The title track brings the gift of warm harmonies and soft organ chords as much as the narrators outstretched hands offer up their doghouse rose. Ragged and raging beats allow tales of a last night on earth ("Promised Land"), getting out ("She's Gonna Fly"), giving in ("Baby Let Me") and how a girl makes a buck ("Bootlegger") move. Whenever Sara's voice comes in, it takes the spotlight. Rather than compete, producer Eddie Gore allows the instrumentation to be flashy without being pushy.Sara is not just a voice, however. The power of a vocal alone cannot drive a song enough to bring the listener back again. There needs to be that grab, songs that bring a smile, make you think or take you back to a real or imagined past. There is a joy in words and her characters on songs like "Crazy" and "Souvenirs" while an inside battle of conflicting emotions crackles the air on "Shouldn't be Doing This" and "Take What I Can Get". Whether it is the infectious draw of "Magnolia" or the mirror reflection in "Beautiful Thing", Sara's words share her feelings as much as match up with those of others. The stories are familiar, we have all either been there, wanted to be there or are on our way there.

The singer/songwriter joined The Alternate Root in Nashville along with mandolin player Steve Peavey for an acoustic set for Alternate Root TV. We've pulled together a video of 'Bootleggers' from that memorable session along with some selections from her latest album 'Doghouse Rose.' Enjoy the music and video in the player below and support independent musicians!

To see video go to:
http://www.thealternateroot.com/new-in-this-issue/403-sara-petite-feature-story



Sara Petite & the Sugar Daddies
The Prince Albert, Brighton, UK
July 8, 2010
MAVERICK MAGAZINE - Show REVIEW


Sara Petite duly arrived with her superb band of Rick Wilkins on electric guitar and backing vocals, Wade Maurer on bass and John Kuhlken on drums. Sara has a hugely appealing, self-deprecating personality that matches her heart-on-sleeve, tell it like it is descriptive songs. The weighting at this gig was naturally on the side of her new album, DOGHOUSE ROSE, which is currently in perpetual motion on my c.d player! Her voice is reminiscent of Carrie Rodriguez or Nanci Griffith with its lovely twang and ability to wrest every last drop of emotion out of every word. The big difference is that many of her songs are confessional and in some cases are about subjects that can be a little edgy. Without exception they draw you into the real life tales, almost enabling you to feel and certainly to sympathise with what the song's subject must be feeling. An excellent example is The Secret, a tale of illicit love that no young female would want her mother to know about, although Sara's obviously does now! Dead Man Walking can sound quite harrowing with its imagery of a violent end to life and with its big sound giving it an almost epic feel of hopelessness; a classic in waiting? Imagery is probably what makes her stand so far out from the crowd, with her songs painting pictures and emotions that very few can match. There is considerable humour as well, with her between songs patter making her seem more like 'the girl next door' who is telling stories to her close friends. Every song was a highlight, be it the put down of Doghouse Rose, the self-explanatory Moonshine or the beautiful heart rending tribute to her grandfather Flying In Our Dreams.

Sara is an incredibly gifted artist Who defines what country music should be. No frills, no gloss, great songs. great singing and great playing. One of the best gigs of this century so far.

- Mike Morrison

MAVERICK MAGAZINE CD REVIEW
August 2010

Sara Petite
DOGHOUSE ROSE:
Sweet P Publishing
****
Stellar line-up, extraordinary talent and award-winning singer-songwriter... can't get better than this for a bluegrass/country-rock album!
This San Diego award winning blueqrass and country singer-songwriter has just released her third album following TIGER MOUNTAIN and LEAD THE PARADE. Standout tracks on this record include the blueqrass-rock Doghouse Rose, singer-songwriter driven Souvenirs and the pop rock infused Crazy. Recorded and produced by Eddie Gore at
the Insomnia Rerording Studio in Tennessee, Petite's latest recording features former Duke's member Harry Stinson on backing vocals, former Johnny Cash and Dwight Yoakam bassist Dave Ro, former Lucinda Williams guitarist Kenny Vaughn and Keith Anderson's drummer William Ellis. This stellar line-up combined with Petite's eleven originals. one co-write and one cover, really showcases extraordinary talent and does a full round up of bluegrass, country, pop and rock offering variety to even the least likely of listeners. -  LB

Alt-512 Music Musings (Austin, Texas, USA)

Alt-512's Monthly Album Reviews & Recommendations 
http://alt512.blogspot.com/2010/03/alt-512s-monthly-album-reviews.html

March sped by and we even though missed the bulk of the SXSW craziness between traveling and (real, bill-paying) work, we have hardly had time to listen to the submissions from our friends at ReviewShine. When the month started, we had downloaded a bunch of records but only one caught our ear this month and that one ended up in continuous rotation on the alt512 iPhone. The record we're pumping this month is Sara Petite's Doghouse Rose.

Sara Petite's voice is classic country. The songs themselves, all written by Petite except for one co-write and a Harlan Howard cover, remind us of the best of the best stuff that Chip Taylor wrote for his collaborations with Carrie Rodriguez a few years back. But it's more than that. The songs themselves run the gamut from bluegrass ("Bootleggers") to singer/songwriter ("Souvenirs", not the Prine/Goodman song) to straight country/honky-tonk ("Doghouse Rose", "Baby Let Me In") and even a little pop.

"Crazy" embodies the element of Doghouse Rose that we identify with most: honesty. We find all too often that artists tend to veil emotion or action at the risk of offending god-knows-who or in the interest of art or poetry (not that there's anything wrong with that). We kinda like things frank sometimes and Sara Petite delivers on the bad-decison-making-romp of "Crazy":

We made love in the church, we made love on the bar
The hotel, the motel, the love in the car
And we were crazy, oh so crazy
He had me swinging from the tables to the chandeliers
And whiskey was a-grinnin' from ear to ear

After the first few listens something really struck us: that this sounded like a Nashville record. Of course, we're not the biggest Nashville fans but what we came to find after a few more listens was that these songs, the things that can make or break a record before it's even recorded, were SPECTACULAR, regardless of the arrangement and Nashville-y production. Like the Tim Harwill record we latched onto back in January, we're definitely going to be buying the rest of the Sara Petite catalog as soon as humanly or digitally possible.

Between this and Harwill's The Wander Man Revisited, we have our early front-runners for the album of the year. [Yeah, I know Doghouse Rose was released in 2009 but I didn't get a heads up about it until this year, so there you go.]

We cannot recommend this record strongly enough.